Bierman’s Six Pack: Issue #37

Welcome to this week’s Six Pack! Each week, I’ll share a mix of thoughts (some sports-related, some not) and I’d love for you to jump in with your reactions, ideas, or recommendations in the comments. Here’s what’s on my mind this week. 

1. Cocktails, Community, and Cause

My wife and I enjoy going to galas. We’ve had the chance to attend several over the past few years, and they are always fun nights with food, drinks, good causes, and the occasional silent auction bid. But of the many we have attended, one of my favorite such events just took place Friday night.

The event was held at the American Sign Museum in Cincinnati, which is a fantastic spot for something like this. The vibe was light and fun. Cocktail attire was encouraged but with an orange theme to match the host’s brand color. Can I just say that I don’t have a ton of orange sitting in my closet, especially not for fancier occasions, but Jamie and I were still able to cobble something together and we actually received several compliments on our appearance (I’m sure most were targeted more toward Jamie than me, but still, I’ll take it). The food and live music were great, and there were no blatant money grabs. Instead, there was a simple and tasteful 30 minute program marking their 50th anniversary. It celebrated key people and moments in their history, and yes, there was an opportunity to donate, but it was done very well.

But as much fun as all that was, the real reason I loved this event was the purpose of this organization, which I frankly didn’t know much about before Friday evening. The organization was LADD, which stands for Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled. For 50 years they have been working to empower adults with developmental disabilities to live independently, find housing, gain job opportunities, and become valued members of the Cincinnati community. What started as one of the first independent living programs in the area has grown into housing developments, support services, and programs that now help nearly 750 people each year. Remarkable, powerfully resonant work.

So yes, it was a fun night out with my wife, but more importantly it was a chance to learn about and support an incredible organization that is changing lives in very real ways. Thank you to LADD, to the leaders, supporters, staff, and everyone involved, not only for making Friday night so special but for keeping this organization running every day and positively impacting so many lives in such meaningful ways.

2. A Baseball Summer That Mattered

The Cincinnati Reds were the first professional baseball team, dating back to 1869. In that rich history, they have won five World Series, nine NL Pennants, put 44 players and managers into the Hall of Fame, and fielded one of the greatest dynasties in baseball with the Big Red Machine of the 1970s.

I moved to Cincinnati in 1991, one year after their last World Series title in 1990 with Jose Rijo, Eric Davis, the Nasty Boys, and many other greats. That unfortunately was their last World Series trip, and since then they have only made the playoffs five times. The most recent came in the 2020 COVID-shortened season, which was only 60 games and never truly felt like the real thing.

So yeah, it has been a long road as a Reds fan, with very few late Septembers where I was glued to every pitch. But this year has been different. This season went all the way down to the final day, and the Reds gave us plenty to be excited about.

Jamie and I were lucky enough to go to the game Wednesday night. Even though they lost in the 11th to Paul Skenes and the Pirates, the atmosphere was electric and it truly felt like a playoff game. 

The Reds lost on Sunday when they could have clinched with a win. However, they owned the tiebreaker with the Mets, and in great news for us Cincinnati fans, New York also lost. Which means Elly de La Cruz, Hunter Greene and company have officially made the playoffs.

The Reds will head to Los Angeles to face the Dodgers starting Tuesday night. The wildcard series is only best of three and all three games are held in the city of the higher seeded team, so it is possible the Reds don’t play in Cincinnati this postseason.

But all of that matters very little to me. As much as I will be rooting for them to win, I am just grateful for a baseball season that kept me and so many others interested in this small market team for all 162 games. They may keep the magic going and advance to the next round, or perhaps they lose two straight and the season abruptly ends.

Either way, this is one very happy fan. So thank you Reds for keeping us captivated and proud until the very last day. 2025 is a season we’ll remember for quite some time, and that is pretty cool.

3. Quacked Up

I would never consider myself a practical joker. I just do not have the creativity to pull off the great ones. But I do have a big sense of humor and I absolutely appreciate an awesome prank, whether it is done on me, by me, or I just get to witness it. Recently, we had a really fun one pulled on us and I thought I would share.

First off, I only like these kinds of jokes when they are good, clean fun. Nobody gets hurt, nobody gets offended, and they are done in the spirit of friendship and laughter. That is exactly what we experienced last weekend.

We went away to Cleveland for the weekend and asked our very close friends to watch Cooper, since he had a big football game and did not want to come. They aren’t just friends, they are the kind who have access to our house anytime because we trust them like family. Well, while we were gone Tiffany and two other friends were very busy and when we walked back in on Sunday, we were greeted by a sight I will never forget.

One. Thousand. Yellow. Ducks. 

They were everywhere. Inside, outside, upstairs, downstairs, in cars, in clothing, in appliances, on mantles, countertops, mugs, shoes, even in the refrigerator and freezer. We have found 941 of them so far, but 59 are still unaccounted for, and I have a feeling we will be stumbling across the stragglers for years. And that is the beauty of it.

It was hilarious, it made us smile instantly, and it turned into a full-blown scavenger hunt that kept us laughing into the next week. It must have taken them forever to set up, and while it was technically a prank, the time and effort they put in showed how much they care about us, which made it all the better.

So thank you to the Powells, Lenihans, and Garlocks for punking us in such grand fashion. The Biermans loved it and appreciated every duck. But fair warning… payback is coming, so stay ready.

4. Joysticks & Quarters

Pac-Man just turned 45. Yes, video games existed before it, but I would argue Pac-Man is what truly pushed arcades into the mainstream in the early 1980s. Every teen with a pocket of change played it, and it got so big that believe it or not, a song called Pac-Man Fever even hit No. 9 on the Billboard charts in 1982. So in honor of Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Clyde, here are my five favorite arcade games from the era.

5. Frogger

The goal was simple: get your frog safely across traffic, rivers, and logs without getting squashed or drowned. The gameplay was frantic, every move felt like a near-death experience, and it even earned a classic Seinfeld episode years later. It’s not one that I would play for hours, but definitely iconic enough for this list.

4. Jungle Hunt

This one was a personal favorite. You swung on vines like Tarzan, swam through crocodile-infested rivers, and dodged boulders while climbing uphill. It had a slight Indiana Jones vibe, and while the graphics were clunky by today’s standards, I didn’t know any better and thought it was pretty epic. It also didn’t seem as popular as the others, so when you stumbled on a machine it felt extra special to play it.

3. Galaga/Galaxian

To this day, I couldn’t tell you the exact difference between the two, but I believe both were about shooting endless waves of aliens swooping down from the sky. The screen filled pretty quickly with the bad guys, you moved left and right at breakneck pace, and it was all about fast reflexes. Intense and super fun.

2. Q*Bert

This odd little orange guy bouncing around a pyramid of cubes somehow became a cult classic. The goal was to change the colors of the cubes by hopping on them, all while avoiding snakes and other enemies. It was quirky, colorful, and quite addictive.

1. Ms. Pac-Man

The queen of the arcade. No offense to the original, but Ms. Pac-Man was better in every way: smarter patterns, faster gameplay, and more variety with boards and fruit bonuses. It’s still my all-time favorite arcade game. I even have a version on my phone and if we ever see one at a bowling alley or bar, step aside so I can play. For me, Ms. Pac-Man is definitely the GOAT of 80s arcade games. 

What about you, Sandman Nation? Any classics I missed that you would have on your list?

5. Big Wins, Big Stats, and Vandy in the History Books

What a great Saturday of college football. So many awesome games and a slate that was easily the best of the season so far. Here are a few of my main takeaways from what I saw.

James Franklin lost another top 10 battle, this one at home, but I still think this Penn State team is very good. They should not only make the CFP, but I believe they could still win it all. That said, Dante Moore and Oregon looked fantastic, they deserved the win, and Dan Lanning reminded everyone why he is one of the best coaches in the country. And for Penn State fans, keep in mind this was a double-overtime loss to an undefeated top 6 team so no need to hang your heads.

The Illinois-USC game was my favorite to watch. Back and forth all afternoon, lots of drama the entire way. Kudos to the Illini for bouncing back after last week’s humiliating 63-10 loss to Indiana and taking care of business against USC. Illini QB Luke Altmyer lived up to his nickname of Cool Hand Luke, calmly leading his team down the field in the final minute to set up the game-winning kick as time expired. On the other side, USC WR Makai Lemon deserves a massive shoutout for an incredible day with 11 catches, 151 yards, and 2 touchdowns.

And then there is Vanderbilt and quarterback Diego Pavia. This program has long been a punchline in the SEC, but Pavia is doing his best to change that narrative. He went 26 of 34 for 321 yards and added 79 more on the ground, becoming just the second Commodores quarterback since 1996 to account for six or more touchdowns in a game. He also tied the single-game passing TD record alongside Jay Cutler. More importantly, he has this team off to a 5-0 start for the first time since 2008. The Commodores have won each of those games by 20 or more points, tied for the third-longest streak to open a season in SEC history. They have also scored 50 or more in back-to-back games for the first time since 1915. Shaping up to be a very special season in Nashville, indeed.

6. $53 for 3 Beers? Not in Baltimore

I go to many sporting events, and somewhere along the way I think I became numb to outrageous stadium food and drink prices. But last week at the Reds game, I was hit with prices that just irritated me. Three beers cost me $53, popcorn and a soft pretzel ran $16, and an 8-count Chick-fil-A nuggets came in at $10.99 (I can get the same at the one a mile from my house for $4.99). 

I majored in economics, so yes, I understand the business model: you have a captive audience who have few alternatives, so you feel like you can charge a hefty amount. I’m happy we live in a capitalist society where supply and demand matter, so I’m not complaining about that part. I just wonder if that is the best business decision, from the team’s perspective. 

Turning it on its side, what if teams took the opposite approach? Meaning what if they focused on lower prices and higher volume? My thinking is fans would buy more, feel better about the experience, and you’d build loyalty instead of resentment. I’m certainly never the smartest guy in the room, and I’m sure these organizations have done the math and they think this approach is the best way to make money long-term, all things considered. 

However, I did find it interesting when I read what the Baltimore Ravens rolled out earlier this fall and I want to give them a brief shoutout here. They introduced their “Flock Friendly Fare” menu which guarantees 11 core items are always priced under $5. We’re talking pretzels and popcorn at $1.99, nachos at $4.49, BBQ chicken sandwich at $4.99, hot dogs at $3.49, fries and peanuts at $3.49, chips at $2.49, soda at $3.99, water at $3.49, and even 12 oz beers for just $4.99. 

This isn’t just a promotion or a gimmick night, rather it’s a sustained pricing model that shows they can in fact keep things fan-friendly while still making money. It creates goodwill, generates positive buzz, and might actually get more fans in the door who otherwise would have stayed home.

So here’s the hope that more organizations follow the Ravens’ lead. Meet fans halfway with some affordable options like this, and the payoff should go beyond the scoreboard. It’s energy, loyalty, and maybe even an extra round or two at the concession stand. 

Now, can we just make sure the nacho cheese always stays warm?

Thanks for checking out this week’s Six Pack, Sandman Nation! I’d love to hear your thoughts: what resonated with you, what you disagree with, or your own takes on these topics. Drop your comments and let’s keep the conversation going.

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